ATOM POWER

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 28001, 22 June 1956, Page 9

ATOM POWER

U.S.-Australian Agreement

t (N.Z Press Association—Copyright) • (Rec. 11 pm.) J WASHINGTON. June 20 Austra’ia today entered a 10-year ' atomic energy agreement with the i United States providing for the erection of atomic power reactors in Aus- ' traiia. I A State Department announcement ■ to this effect said that the agreement provided for a “comprehensive exchange of classified and unclassified information on the peaceful uses of ; atomic energy.”

The agreement included American assistance to Australia in the development of its nuclear power programme The announcement said that this was the first agreement to provide for the sale of nuclear fuel for power reactors under the allocation of 20 000 kilogrammes for foreign consumption announced by the United States in February.

The United States already has 27 bilateral agreements under President Eisenhower's Atoms-for-Peace plan providing for help in building atom research facilities. Australia now joins Britain. Belgium and Canada as the only nations with agreements covering secret American advances in atomic power science.

The announcement said that under the new agreement, Australia might buy up to 500 kilogrammes of enriched uranium for use in research power demonstration, and power reactors in Australia.

Australia thus received one of the mcst generous atomic agreements ever entered into by the United States. Earlier today a special agreement was announced with France, but this agreement included the supply of only 40 kilogrammes of enriched uranium.